Today, LDF sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth categorically opposing the to the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) reported intentions to remove the names of civil and human rights icons—including Supreme Court Justices Thurgood Marshall and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, Medgar Evers, and Harvey Milk—from vessels in the John Lewis-class fleet oiler replenishment program.
The proposed removal of these heroes of American history, civil rights, and human rights is part of a broader pattern of historical erasure targeting Black Americans, women, LGBTQ+ people, and other marginalized communities. Such erasure would represent a profound act of disrespect, not only to these Americans and their historic contributions, but to the very principles of equality and justice they each arduously fought to advance.
At a time when national and global security face genuine threats, it is deeply concerning that Secretary Hegseth’s office would devote time and resources to erasing the names of those who extended the moral arc of this country. This directive reflects the Department’s misplaced priorities and dishonors the very principles of respect, justice, and personal courage that our service members are charged to uphold.
LDF urges Sec. Hegseth to reverse this directive and preserve the names of the John Lewis-class vessels.
Read the full letter here.
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Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.
